


Caught

by eisneRiegan



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26388274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan
Summary: Byleth caught a Fae and struck a deal to go on three dates with him.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 26
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry. Really bad at summaries now.  
> Anyway. Uh. Enjoy?

"Okay... I'll grant you one boon since you found me and did all the lengthy, and unnecessary old timey stuff to get me agree to listen. But what can you offer in return?" Claude asked his visitor as he poured tea for them.

He has no idea how this woman managed to find his domain, and he probably have to revisit the security around it.

Humans don't wander into Fae domains like this anymore, not like the old days.

Times have changed. Even the landscape have changed.

Modern Fodlan doesn't have anything from its past anymore, save for a few archaic buildings.

And the Faes have also casted their old ways of luring people or giving out boons.

It's much more convenient and less stressful to not associate with humans, especially now that they think Faes are nothing more than fiction.

It's better for them to think that Faes are tiny little creatures with wings than being the same size as them with no wings or pointy ears or whatever ephemeral glow. Even the Faes think that their fictional depictions are cute.

No one look for Faes anymore to have their wishes granted. Humanity have moved on, getting what they want by their own hands.

Leaving the Faes have more free time to do what they want.

Like running a cafe where they hand out boons to nice humans without any obligation. Nothing grand, it's just the Faes granting the humans they come across (and like) a good day that doesn't require anything else in return.

Especially to those who look like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. It's not much, but a small gesture like that make the Faes remember their roots.

They did live in harmony with them until some things happened in the past.

But this woman seated in front of Claude is different.

She had actively sought out a Fae and unfortunately, he's the first one she stumbled across. Though she had to wonder if Faes can grow facial hairs.

Aren't they suppose to be baby faced and smaller? This man in front of her is at least a few inches taller than her.

Claude was sure he had masked his domain perfectly, within The Golden Deer cafe that he's running. To everyone, it's another thriving cafe. But for Faes like him, domains are where they are free to be themselves after a long day of being around humans.

"I... I don't really know... You don't accept money for services, right?"

"Boons are not services." Claude huffed. "It's a sacred agreement between Fae and humans."

The woman bit down on their lower lip, fiddling with her fingers.

"Well...my first born?"

Claude snorted derisively. "Oh come on. I'm not that old. I don't deal with that kind of thing. Maybe if you found that ginger, he'd take you up on your offer."

"Then..what do you want in exchange?"

Claude tapped his chin at that.

Well, there's one thing he's curious about. His cafe is a hotspot for couples and seeing their faces glow with that magic called "love" is interesting.

Faes do not generally "fall in love" with one another. Not because they don't find one another attractive or anything, but because the idea of "love" and staying with one Fae is a complete mystery to them.

And those Faes who did manage to stay with one have a hard time reproducing. So some of them go to human adoption centers and get their child from there, turning them into one of them by a special ambrosia they mix in their drink for a week.

Hey, at least they don't kidnap babies from their cradles, right? It's the only pet peeve Claude has with the stories being circulated about them.

They only take children from abusive household, for the record. They don't take innocent babes that are in a loving family. Unless that specific Fae is a jerk.

Claude is one of those few who was lucky to be biologically born as a Fae, and thus he's a kind of a rare specimen that is actively being pursued by female suitors for there might be a higher chance to reproduce with him.

Seriously. He's not a sperm donor or anything like that.

He'd rather be mate-less.

Or mate with a human. He has no idea what's the ramifications for that if they get to have a baby but at least he chose to be with that human.

"Well, how about you and I go on three dates?"

"Uh, sorry? Did you just asked me out...?"

"Yes, you heard me. I grant you your wish and we go on three dates."

The woman only looked at him, dumbfounded.

"Uh... Are you sure that's...?"

"Hey, I'm the one setting the conditions right? So it's okay. Now, if you don't want to... Good luck on finding another–"

"No! No, no, no. I'm not saying no. I mean. Yes. I'll go on three dates with you. If that's what it takes to save my father."

Claude smiled at that. "Okay then. We're in the same page so I hope you'll honor your word. What's your name?"

The woman hesitated, knowing from children's stories that if you give a Fae your name, they'll have power over you.

"You...may call me Byleth."

Claude blinked at that then shook his head. "Aw come on. You didn't have to do that. I'm not like the others..."

He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Oh well...shall we get going?"

Byleth inclined her head, confused. "Go...where?"

"I can't do my part if I don't know where to direct my boon, right?"

"Oh..."

Byleth took his hand and Claude turned to lead her out of his domain. They emerged out of the front of his cafe, much to the surprise of Byleth.

"What? You think my cafe is an ordinary building?" Claude asked, amused, as they walked towards the taxi bay nearby. "Seriously. I'm curious how you even managed to find my domain."

"I'm a regular customer. I've been noticing some kind of oddities around so I investigated..." Byleth told him as they waited for a taxi, aware how his soft hand envelopes hers in a comforting warmth. "But I didn't really expect that the owner himself is one...or the cafe itself..."

Claude snickered as he adjusted his hold on her hand. "You're quite perceptive, Miss Byleth. Though next time, please be careful. Not all of my kind is...welcoming to your kind who barges in."

They got into the taxi and rode in silence, with Byleth being painfully aware that Claude has not let go of her hand and the driver is trying hard not to grin at them, thinking they're lovers who are trying their best not to be all over one another. He had seen and have been paid to ignore whatever's going on by some...extreme couples who had used the backseat. He had to bring his unit to the carwash immediately after dropping those kind of customers off.

Once they arrived in the hospital, Byleth took the lead and peeked inside the room where her father is.

Her older male twin is in there, nodding off on the couch as he watches over their father.

Their mother is nowhere to be found. She's probably in the bathroom or something.

"Aren't we going in?" Claude asked her as he also peeked into the room. "I can't really do it from here, you know."

"Beles is in there. I can't bring you in there to do your thing." she replied. "And–"

"Oh, Byleth. You're finally here. And...who's this dashing young man with you?"

Byleth whipped around and found their mother, carrying some paperbags with warm food in it, judging by the logo of the fast food joint on it.

"Mom! I thought you were inside... And..."

Byleth's mother smiled gently at the two of them, making Claude feel something stirring inside him. He wonders briefly if it's the same feeling he gets whenever his own mother visits him.

"Is he your boyfriend, sweetheart? Finally introducing him to us?"

"What? No... We're not..." Byleth spluttered as she hastily let go of Claude's hand. Claude only pouted at Byleth before turning to her mother.

"I'm Claude von Riegan. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." He said as he gave her a formal bow.

"Oh my, you don't have to be so formal with me. I'm Sitri Eisner, but you can call me Mom. Now, why don't you two come inside and properly meet everyone else instead of loitering here?"

Claude smiled widely at that, with Byleth giving him a warning nudge to the rib before they entered the room.

"Don't even think of doing anything funny towards my Mom." Byleth told him under her breath.

"I didn't ask for her name so it's not valid." Claude assured her. "Though if you want me to exploit the loophole–"

"No."

Claude only shrugged at that. "Okay. Your loss though. I like your mom already. Thought she could benefit a little boon too."

"No."

"What? I told you I'm not like the others. I'd probably ask her for her best sandwich recipe or pasta and that would be enough payment if you'd let me grant–" 

"Stick to our agreement, Claude."

"Fine..."

Not like he'd really stick to it. Claude can still give a nice little boon to Sitri without any obligation, and Byleth doesn't need to know.

They entered the room and Byleth introduced her companion to them. Her older twin brother, Beles, only eyed Claude warily and their father, Jeralt, frowned at their direction.

Is it really the right time for Byleth to date? Sure, he wants his daughter to have someone in her life but with him being bedridden, Jeralt doesn't have the strength to interrogate Claude at full length.

Claude smiled charmingly at Jeralt's direction, gathering the necessary will to grant the boon Byleth has asked of him.

"I hope that you'd be free from this illness in the next couple of days, Sir." Claude said clearly as he worked his magic into his words. "I'd be looking forward to the day you can visit my cafe with your family. I'll serve you the best for the celebration."

Jeralt and Sitri only stared at him, and they exchanged glances at one another. Claude didn't find that odd, since he did sound like he's talking sweet promises.

"I'll expect that you'd honor your word." Jeralt replied, making Claude blink in surprise. "I'm pretty much fed up with hospital food."

"Of course. I'll make the most delicious food you'd forget you were once hospitalized."

"That's taking things a bit too far..."

After a few more chitchats, Claude finally excused himself to go home and Byleth walked him to the front of the hospital to see him off.

"Thank you." she said simply, giving him a small smile.

"Nah, don't thank me yet. He won't be free from whatever his illness is for the next couple of days."

"Still. Thank you. You listened to me and granted my wish even though I..."

Claude pressed a finger onto her lips. "Shush now. We were in agreement. It's a little unorthodox but an agreement is an agreement. I'll see you tomorrow for our first date?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .. Is it too fast paced?? 😥


	2. Chapter 2

Byleth Eisner is not one to believe in old stories about fairies and the likes.

She did like listening to the stories when growing up though.

She and her brother, Beles, had that one game where one of them pretend to be a changeling while the other is the real human child.

Their parents didn't like it though, for some reason.

They outgrew that childlike belief thankfully when they reached the age of ten and never went back to it until a decade or so later.

When Jeralt got struck by an illness. It was the hardest month for the Eisner family and most especially for Byleth. Desperate to save him, she looked for ways to do it.

She has no idea how she ended up looking for the Faes, but it was the second thing that came into mind after being unsuccessful on asking several doctors to cure Jeralt.

Beles let his sister look for the fictional faes for her coping mechanism, and tried not to show how worried he is for her mental being.

Byleth has always been a daddy's girl, as much as Beles being a mama's boy, so he understands how his sister feels.

Byleth knows her brother is worried, thinking she's off her rockers on believing Fae existence but she has a keen sense.

She knows they exist in some ways...

"Sorry I'm late. I ran as fast as I could." Claude cheerfully greeted her.

They were in the city's renowned flower park, near Claude's cafe, built by Ashe Ubert some years ago when he inherited the land from his adoptive father.

The flower park is the best kind of disguise for a Fae domain in Claude's opinion, since he can be himself and not fear any humans like Byleth barging in to ask for boons.

But he knows he's no match for Ashe's skills on tending to the flowers. Ashe grew up in a Fae household that has more connection to the earth compared to Claude, so it's only natural he'd be better at it.

Byleth turned her eyes to her date.

She still can't believe he's a Fae.

She started noticing the hazy signs of his presence: the cafe having that sweet scent of flowers even though it's usually filled with the heavy scent of coffee. She knows there's no diffuser in the cafe for that.

And whenever she talks to Claude at the counter, there's this warm fuzzy feeling that envelopes her, much like how he holds her hand.

She knows it's not attraction. Sure, Claude is handsome and maybe an all around nice guy...

Having a crush on the owner of a cafe is preposterous. Even if said owner of cafe is actually quite a looker.

"Shall we get going?" he asked as he offered his hand once again. Byleth placed her hand in his and together they entered the park.

There are a few couples about. There's even a few family enjoying their day out.

At one part of the park, there's a couple of photographers and a woman in a wedding gown. They both assumed the guy in white shirt with suspenders standing at the sideline is the groom.

Byleth steals glances at Claude as they walked, wondering what separates Fae and Humans.

He's very much human-like in terms of phyiscal attributes after all.

Claude noticed this then grinned, stopping to look at her.

"Is my face really that interesting?" He teased her, making Byleth pout in embarrassment.

"No...well, yeah, maybe a little. I'm trying to figure out what's the difference between Fae and humans...you certainly pass as a human to me but..."

Claude lightly touched the tip of her nose. "I admire curiosity but I don't think you should pry any further. You're lucky enough that the one you caught is me."

"Claude isn't really your name, is it?"

"Well now. That's enough sleuthing for you, Pretty One." Claude chided her gently. "You agreed to go on a date with me in exchange. I don't think interrogations like this in a nice venue counts as a date."

"Why did you ask for three dates anyway?"

"To satisfy a curiosity."

Byleth frowned at him, confused. Before she could open her mouth again, Claude turned away and tugged at her.

"They said there's a new area they've developed around here. Come on."

Byleth got dragged by Claude, her curiosity shifting from how different Faes are to humans to wondering what kind of curiosity Claude wants to satisfy.

The two of them ended up in the middle of a lilac, lavender and blue salvia fields, their colors blending with one another.

The view was enough for Byleth to forget about everything for a moment.

Claude watched her expression, finally seeing her relaxed for once.

Guess the Ubert magic is strong in this area.

They walked through the pathway, enjoying the scenery and the calm breeze. At one point, they stopped by a snack stall, talking about random things that doesn't involve the Fae, and enjoying their snacks and drinks.

It's almost a normal first date where the couple is still kind of awkward with one another.

They continued on their way, looking at the flowers and Byleth dragging Claude to a flower stall to buy something for her family to cheer them up.

Claude watched her look around for the appropriate flowers, amused by the enthusiasm he hadn't seen before.

That smile on her face gave him a warm feeling inside, as he's unable to tear his eyes away from her face.

Huh. Guess who's now finding the other person's face interesting?

That kind of smile suits her in all honesty. And somehow, he wants to see more of that.

Moving to a nearby collection of flowers, he picked out a single stem of gardenia and moved to the counter, surprising Byleth when he paid for everything.

"What?" Claude frowned at her as they left the stall, carrying the flowers carefully. "Isn't that what males do for their dates...? Or did I read the wrong article?"

Byleth stared at him for a moment then tried her best not to burst out laughing.

Claude know he should get offended by being laughed at, but he's curious as to what kind of gaffe he said to make her smile and laugh like that.

"You read a dating advice article online?" She finally asked when she regained her composure. "Is 'dating' the curiosity you want to satisfy?"

"Part of it." He replied defensively.

"Why? Faes do fall in love with one another, right? And reproduce?"

"No, not really. And Faes have a hard time reproducing. So some of us adopt human babies."

"Oh..."

Silence fell between the two of them as they left the park, walking towards Claude's cafe which he had closed for the day. Byleth looked at him curiously, wondering why he'd bring her there.

Claude smiled at her. "What? Dinner's on me. I thought of bringing you to a friend's restaurant but I figured you prefer my cooking since you said you're my regular."

"You're that confident in your cooking huh?"

"Well, my cafe wouldn't do this well if I'm not a great cook, right?" He held the door open for her. "Come in, my lady."

Byleth bemusedly did a little curtsy to humor his formality and entered the cafe, with Claude following close behind her. He had her sit by the window, depositing the flowers carefully to a nearby chair.

"Now, I'll pop in the kitchen real quick. Stay put."

"You don't have to rush, you know."

Byleth watched him go, and the silence of the cafe finally made her thoughts settle down.

After almost a full day with Claude, he's not so different with the other guys. His charm is really something, she'd admit that.

She loves his bashful smile when she catches him off guard with a compliment. And his child-like enthusiasm of doing something for her as a proper date that he tries to hide is infectious.

Being with him, she could smile again for the first time in a month since her father got admitted into the hospital. Maybe he's been working his little magic on her whenever they talk at the counter, lifting her spirits up back when they were still kind of strangers and that's why she kept coming back to this cafe.

Claude came back after a moment with a tray of food for the two of them and went back to get their drinks. As he slid to the chair across from Byleth, he noticed her surprised look.

"What? I did say I'll be quick."

"You didn't use magic to make these, did you?"

"If my cooking skills count as magical, then yes."

She pouted at him. "Claude..."

"You know, you are kind of cute too when you pout." He laughed. "Don't worry. I cooked everything beforehand and kept them warm by a little magic. That's why I was late."

They ate in silence, with Byleth enjoying a meal in her favorite cafe. Too bad that Claude didn't remember her favorite dish in his menu but that's fine.

They're not actually in love or dating for real.

Claude took a sip of his drink then reached over to the gardenia flower he bought and handed it over to her graciously.

"A little token of appreciation for today's date."

A pinkish blush bloomed on Byleth's cheeks as she took the flower. She thought he bought that as a souvenir for himself. Though her blush is more about the fact that she absolutely love gardenia flowers.

Claude smiled as he rested his chin on his hand, looking at her intently.

"You know... Your expressions are really fascinating. Your smile draws me in..."

Byleth only gave him another smile at that as she reached for a small potted lilac she had picked out earlier and slid it towards him.

"For you. As thank you." she told him simply.

Claude stared at her for a while then picked up the small pot, aware that his cheeks are kind of hurting from the foolish smile he has.

This is the first time anyone gave him a sincere gift.

He's going to display this up front, that's for sure.

While it's still tiny of course. He has to look for a suitable place for it in the cafe for it grow well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something weird happened. The end note from the first chapter went to the second chapter.
> 
> I have no idea what or how that happened 😳
> 
> Anyway.. Glad you like this so far

Claude dropped by the hospital a few days after their first date.

He's curious how Jeralt's progressing.

Sure, he could have done an overnight magic but that would be too obvious. Illnesses don't go away overnight unless it's sniffles.

He brought along a few of his signature foods and drinks for Sitri and Jeralt, to alleviate their suffering from hospital ration and fast food.

He also brought extras just in case Beles or Byleth are around.

He knocked politely before being admitted into the room by Sitri, who smiled warmly at him.

"I brought some food." Claude told them as Sitri closed the door behind him. "I couldn't wait to have you guys over so I brought samples of my cooking."

He deposited the food and drinks on a nearby table, with Sitri helping him unload everything.

"You didn't really have to do this, you know." Sitri said to him gently.

"It's fine. I love cooking for people anyway."

Claude sat down on the couch, looking at Jeralt who's propped up in a seated position on the bed, with Sitri taking up the space next to her husband.

"How are things with our Bibi?" Sitri asked curiously. "She's not really the most affectionate compared to her brother so it must be hard for you."

Huh?

Not affectionate?

She's definitely affectionate.

Maybe they got confused over their twins? Beles doesn't seem to be the affectionate one.

"Oh, everything's fine. We're getting along great." Claude assured her.

Jeralt only narrowed his eyes at him. "That's what Holst said before but then he broke up with her. I won't stand for it if you play with my daughter's feelings."

Claude stared at them, surprised to hear a name he didn't expect.

They don't mean Holst Goneril right?

Is their family a Fae magnet or something?

Does this mean Byleth caught a fae before him? So why didn't she...?

Nah, Holst is a common name. Maybe it's not the Holst he knows.

He then gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I won't."

Well, now, he's digging himself a grave.

The two of them only need to go on two more dates and their agreement will be complete.

Leaving the hospital later, Claude went straight to his friend's shop to ask about her brother dating Byleth before.

"Well, this is a nice surprise." Hilda said as she looked over at him from her seat. "I thought you'd never leave that cafe of yours."

"Hey, I leave it every now and then to stretch my legs." Claude pouted at her as he sat down across from her. "How's everything?"

"Still the same old boring stuff. What brought you here?"

"Nothing important. Just wanted to ask if your brother dated someone named Byleth Eisner."

Hilda stared at him for a long while, with Claude somehow dreading the answer.

Why is he even dreading it?

He's certainly not attached to her in any way.

Like, yeah, sure he displayed the potted plant and keep going back to those memories they made on their first date...

That doesn't mean anything at this stage.

"Yeah he did." Hilda finally replied, making Claude's heart sink. "Things were fine between the two of them a year ago."

"Why did they...?" 

And why is it his misfortune to come into her life after she met Holst? That man is perfect, and used to be the hotshot for Faes until he declared he's not going to take in a Fae wife.

"My brother got scared. He can't imagine casting his Fae life aside to be with her. Or turning her into one of us, making her watch her family die before her when the time comes."

Well, there's no danger of that kind of drama between the two of them at least.

They're going to part as unlikely friends after this. Or maybe unlikely acquaintance if he ever erase her memories.

Holst should have done that, but Claude realized it's a full year of memories for the two of them. Probably it's too hard for him to erase all that.

But if Holst and Byleth were together...surely she knows about him being a Fae? Or did Holst held back on that information since he didn't push their relationship to the next level?

Hilda narrowed her eyes at him. "How did you even know about that name?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing..."

She sat forward on her seat, scrutinizing his expression.

"Don't tell me you–"

"I'm not telling then."

Hilda covered her mouth, gasping. "Oh no...oh no... You really are!"

Claude rolled his eyes at that. Hilda can be so dramatic to get informations she wants.

She only frowned at him, concerned. "Claude, I'm telling this for your own good. Getting too involved with them... It's going to be hard to part with them later on. My brother's still not over her, in all honesty. It's going to take him a long while before moving on..."

"Hilda, I deal with humanity every single day in my cafe." Claude told her patiently. "When did you see me get attached to them? A closer interaction will not change me."

Hilda only sighed, defeated. Him being defensive isn't going to yield any good conversation.

"Well...don't tell me I didn't warn you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .. You know what. Nvm. Fixed the problem regarding the notes xD


	4. Chapter 4

Their second date happened a few weeks later, after Jeralt has been discharged from the hospital, fully recovered and with no trace of his illness before.

Byleth picked the place for their second date: a picnic outside of town with her own homemade cooking as their food. Claude couldn't help but tease her for trying to impress him with her cooking, which she ignored.

She's definitely not trying to impress him.

Only a part of her does.

They picked a good spot under a tree that offers a good shade for the two of them, with Claude spreading the blanket for them to sit on.

"So...this is another one of those human's dating ritual?" Claude asked her. "Going out to eat under a tree while watching other people pass by?"

"You know... You'd be more fun to hang out with if you don't have such snark when asking questions."

"Huh? I'm genuinely curious!"

Byleth raised an eyebrow at him, an intimidating expression on that kind face of hers. Claude only raised his hands in defense, trying to block off that piercing look from her.

Sighing, Byleth shook her head and continued on unpacking the food she had brought. Claude sat closer to her, looking over at the stuff she brought.

Yummy looking sandwiches, nicely sliced fruits, and there's even bite sized sugar coated donuts. He's most curious about the thick brownies in one of the containers.

They look scrumptious.

For their drinks, she brought along two big thermos he has no idea what's inside.

He hopes it's Almyran Pine Needle tea, though he's not going to keep his hopes up. They barely talked about one another (though Claude knows she's a sweet tooth and prefer her coffee to be slightly sweet because she always order that).

"You really made these?" he asked.

"Except for the donuts. Beles made those."

This time, it's his turn to raise an eyebrow at her. "Your brother made snacks for your date?"

She grinned at him mischievously as she took one donut and held it up to him. "He doesn't have to know I took some."

Claude reluctantly took the donut into his mouth and got surprised by how it's not that greasy or sweet, despite being covered in sugar.

He could ask Beles for the recipe and then fine tune it for his cafe.

"It's good, isn't it?" She smirked at him as she moved away to get one of the thermos. "It goes well with tea, too."

When she popped the lid open and poured the tea, Claude got whiff of that familiar scent he loves. He leaned in close to her, not noticing how unnerved Byleth is with his action.

"Mm...this is a nice smell. I think I love this one..." Claude said to no one in particular. Byleth had to wait for a heartbeat if he's going to follow up on that for context but it didn't come.

Which scent is he referring to?

Her perfume?

Her hair conditioner?

Or the tea?

They say women are vague with their words but this particular Fae is the vaguest of them all.

The two of them enjoyed their morning picnic, listening to the birds sing around them. Byleth even got mesmerised for a moment when Claude interacted with a dragontail butterfly that somehow found its way to them.

That kind of butterfly is rare around their part of Fodlan, since it's more native around the Almyran lands to the east of Fodlan.

She watched Claude pick up a twig on the ground next to the blanket and held it up for the dragontail butterfly, which then landed on it, its wings gently and almost demurely stopping for a rest.

With the sunlight behind them and the wisps of clouds in the blue sky, it made Claude look ethereal at best.

Even if he's garbed with normal human clothes. She has no idea if Faes really wear those whimsical clothes in children's books.

She's having a hard time imagining Claude wearing one of those but maybe he'd be garbed in a Fae Prince's clothes, to accentuate his charm. Maybe braid a lock of his hair on one side too. She's not sure if Fae Princes suppose to have beards, but it's harder to imagine Claude without a beard.

He's going to be such a baby-faced man that he'll have trouble convincing people he's an adult.

Byleth sneakily got her phone and take a quick picture of Claude before hastily locking (and dropping) it when he turned his head to look at her curiously.

"What are you doing?"

"Huh? Nothing. Nothing at all." Byleth replied, not meeting his eyes. "I've never seen one of those butterflies before up close."

Claude smiled gently at her as he moved closer slowly so that he won't startle the butterfly.

"Here. Take a photo of it." He told her as he held the twig up. "Do it quickly. She's a bit shy..."

Byleth did as she was told, taking photos worthy of being published in a science journal maybe. She's going to send this to her mom later.

Sitri loves butterflies, and will not shut up about random facts about them.

But also because Sitri have always used butterflies, any kind of butterflies (except moths), as a connection to the Fae when the twins were still children.

The dragontail left them after a few minutes, and the two of them lapsed back into silence, not knowing what topic to discuss. Claude decided to sample everything Byleth have brought, and found the brownies to be his favorite.

He's going to try her recipe afterwards, if he remembers to ask her about it.

At one point, Byleth got a call that got her frowning in concern. When she finally got off the phone, Claude inclined his head questioningly.

"Who's Lambert?"

"My cousin from my father's side." Byleth replied with a sigh. "I'm sorry but I have to ask for your help on babysitting my niece and nephew."

"Is...babysitting considered as a date?"

"No? I honestly have no idea... I'm really sorry about this. You can consider this as half day date and we could continue some other time if you don't want to help..."

"What about their nanny?"

"Scheduled day off."

"What about the mom?"

"Divorced six months ago."

Claude pursed his lips at that thoughtfully.

Well, he could accept that proposition that it's a half day date, which means they'll meet for two more times outside of the cafe. Something he look forward to since being out with her made him realize how stifling his cafe is.

He should redecorate sometime soon.

"Do you have to go now?" He asked her, concerned. "We could pack up now so you can get to their place. I'll escort you there."

Byleth shook her head and smiled apologetically. "Lambert's workplace is near. He's coming over as we speak."

Oh.

That means...they're going to babysit in their picnic area.

That...doesn't sound so bad. They could still continue their date while looking after the children.

"Oh, okay then. If they're your niece and nephew, I'm sure they're adorably behaved."

Byleth's smile turned into a grimace at that as she shook her head.

"They're on their terrible Threes stage. I seriously wouldn't mind if we call it a day for our date. I don't want to subject you to their...attitudes."

What does that mean?? Claude wondered. He hasn't been around much with people who have children. He knows they're a handful, but that's because they have personalities of their own and preferences as individuals.

When Lambert arrived, Claude gazed at the tired man's face as he greeted the two of them. Latched beside him are two kids, one blond boy and a brown haired girl in twintails wearing matching clothes of checkered jumper with white shirt underneath. Claude also noticed that the girl is wearing an inch of heeled boots.

Oh. Fraternal twins like Byleth and Beles.

And it looks like the little girl has some height consciousness compared to her twin brother.

"I'm really, really, really sorry about this." Lambert said as he tried to detach his children off of him and ushered them towards Byleth. "Urgent work matter came up and I can't bring them in the building since no one can keep an eye on them. And....who's he?"

"It's fine." Byleth told him as the little girl went to latch herself around her neck and she enveloped her in a hug. "And that guy over there is Claude. You're lucky I picked this place for us."

Lambert stared at her then gave Claude a smile. "I see. Nice to meet you, Claude. Sorry if our first meeting is like this. Don't worry. I'll treat you two to dinner later."

The blond boy sat down next to Claude, reaching for the fruits, which Claude quietly moved closer to him.

"Sorry I can't stay long." Lambert continued. "I promise I'll make it quick and come back here within three hours. Now, children. I want you to behave, okay?"

The little girl stuck out her tongue at him while the boy continued to be curious of the food in front of them.

After Lambert has left, Byleth moved backwards to sit next to Claude, with the little girl still hanging around her.

"So...introductions are in order, I guess..." Byleth said awkwardly. "This sweetheart here is Edelgard and that one is Dimitri."

"I don't want to be called Edelgard. I told you my name is El."

"Why don't you have cheese and ice cream here?" Dimitri pouted.

Byleth only painfully smiled at Claude, who actually found them adorable with their little attitude. Though of course, that needs to be corrected in some way.

"Ice cream is bad on an empty stomach." Claude told the boy, hoping that his tone is as friendly as he thought it is.

"You sound like Glenn. I don't like you."

"Now, now, Dimitri..." Byleth chided him. "That's not how you should talk to Uncle Claude."

"You let El talk the way she wants."

"No I don't."

"That's because Auntie loves me more than you." Edelgard butted in.

Claude sat there, at a loss, by how quickly things turned into a tantrum competition between the siblings.

Maybe it was best to keep Byleth company on babysitting after all. Those two are really quite a handful, and he doubts Byleth could keep them both in line.

For all of that trouble though, when the day finally ended and he had escorted her home after Lambert treated them to dinner in a restaurant, Claude laid in bed thinking that Byleth looks good with a child in her arms or running around her.

It was then he caught himself wistfully thinking of being out in a picnic with Byleth again, but with their own child.

He grabbed one of his pillows and pressed his face into it, hoping to quell the stupid thought of settling down with Byleth and having a child with her.

Would Byleth even look at him that way if that's the case? Even though he's standing behind her former lover's shadow?

Was this thinking suppose to happen on his pursuit of knowing what "love" is after their second official date?

Well, they did have unofficial ones but that's because Byleth comes into his cafe every other day, and he would give her an inconspicuous treat in her order.

Claude nearly lunged for his phone at the other side of the bed when he heard it vibrate. Opening it, he saw a message from Byleth.

"Thank you for today. And I'm sorry about Dimitri spilling tea on you. Goodnight (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)"

Claude couldn't help but smile embarrassingly at that.

Why is she so adorable?

This is the first time she ever said goodnight to him, or used that cute emoji.

He typed in a quick reply.

"Thank you too. Looking forward to the continuation of our date ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡"

Claude then buried his face onto his pillow, too embarrassed that he actually did that.

Is this really part of the research about love? Sending those kind of messages and getting giddy over it?

In the Eisner's house, Beles had to look over at his sister who just made a squeak from her seat while he was busy watching tv.

He could see that she's smiling like an idiot again.

That Claude must be really something to make her smile that way.

Maybe it's time for him to interview this cafe owner. He doesn't want his sister to mope around again after what Holst did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess which two stupid cheesy lines gave birth to the whole fic...
> 
> But those kaomojis suit them don't you think?


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, welcome." Claude greeted his customer automatically when he heard the door open before he looked up to see Beles standing by the counter. "Oh, hello. Fancy seeing you here."

He looked around Beles, wondering if Byleth somehow managed to bully her brother into coming to his cafe. When there's no sign of Byleth, Claude turned his attention to Beles.

"Uh...it's just you?" He asked tentatively. "Byleth's not hiding behind your back or anything?"

"You sound disappointed."

"Oh, no, no, no. I didn't mean it that way." Claude flashed him a smile. "What are you having?"

"Your best coffee and a little of your time. I want to talk."

Claude blinked at that, thinking back on the stuff he did. He didn't make any trouble, right...?

Well, it's a slow morning for the cafe. He can spare a few minutes. And he's going to treat Beles on his coffee in case he's in trouble.

Claude poked his head into the pantry behind him, to get his newly hired employee, a friend he made some time back. "Hey, Leonie? Can you cover for me up front for a few minutes?" 

"Huh? This early?" Leonie frowned as she looked up from getting the ingredients for the first bruschetta batch of the day. "What about the bruschetta?"

"Eh, you can make them later. Don't worry."

With Leonie coming out to relieve him of his position, Claude and Beles moved to the very back of the cafe to talk, with Claude carrying a mug of his finest coffee to offer to Beles.

They sat opposite of one another, with Claude racking his brain on his recent interactions with the Eisner family to warrant this situation.

Beles sat there, looking at Claude intently as he warmed his hands on the mug, trying to construct the words he want to ask of him as politely as possible.

He's not entirely opposed to them dating. He prefer his sister to smile like an idiot than be a moping mess. But there's something with Claude he's wary of.

He couldn't shake this feeling that this man in front of him would disappear without saying anything, and that will certainly hurt Byleth.

She's already gone through much already. Beles wants her to be happy first before he himself look for someone to settle down with.

Seeing there's no way around but to be blunt with his words, Beles sighed.

"Your relationship with Byleth. Are you serious with her or not?"

Claude inclined his head at that, a habit he probably have gotten from Byleth whenever she's confused. Beles didn't miss that little action, recognizing it as one of Byleth's little tell when thinking.

How long have they known one another for them to mimic their behavioral tick?

"Define 'serious'." Claude replied. They haven't discussed this kind of thing before, something he will correct the next time he sees Byleth.

Judging by the slight narrowing in Beles's eyes, Claude knew he had said something he shouldn't have.

Beles took a sip of his coffee to calm himself down, not wanting to make a scene in an otherwise almost empty cafe.

It's too early in the morning for him to do that too.

"I see..." Beles finally said after a while. "So that's how it is. Does Byleth know that you're not serious with her?"

"Well, she agreed to go on dates with me...knowing the conditions."

"Conditions?"

Claude clamped his mouth shut. He shouldn't have said that.

As he tried to think of a way to get out of the situation, Byleth came by their table, looking at her brother questioningly while holding her tray of hot cocoa and egg sandwich with melted cheese.

"What are you doing here?" She asked her brother as she looked over at Claude as well. Claude only gave her an uncomfortable smile.

"Do I need a reason to go to a place?" Beles shot back at his sister who only shrugged and slid next to Claude.

"You left home early. I thought you have urgent work in the office. I didn't really expect you'd come here of all places."

"Byleth."

"What?"

"What is this condition you agreed to that Claude is saying about you two going on dates?"

Byleth stopped midway to her biting into her sandwich, staring at Beles then looked at Claude indignantly.

No one's supposed to know!

Claude only looked back at her with a pout, making her stare hard at him.

She placed her sandwich down and leaned back on her seat with a sigh.

"There's nothing wrong on just dating, you know." Byleth lied. "We just...thought of going on a couple of dates, see if we'll click and maybe pursue something deeper than that. I don't have to marry every guy I date in the end, Beles. If I had that kind of thinking on every relationship I'm starting...that would be hell for me if things doesn't work out."

Wow. Look at her lie with a straight face.

Humans can make those Fae of old have a run for their money. Faes don't lie, but they also don't tell things outright. They prefer to have a play with their words.

Beles looked like he's not buying that excuse though, but he let it go. Instead he turned to Claude again.

"How long have you known my sister?"

"A good while now." Claude replied smoothly.

Byleth's not the only one with the silver tongue.

"How can you prove that you're not the reason Holst ended their relationship?"

Silence fell on their table, with Byleth glaring at her brother and Claude wondering if this is also part of the research he's conducting about 'love'.

"Holst and I ended things after a full day of discussion and we parted in good terms." Byleth firmly told her brother. "I didn't meet Claude until then."

Beles snorted at that. "Parted in good terms, my ass. You were depressed for a good year."

Claude looked at Byleth intently at that.

He knew she was heartbroken because of Holst, and Holst is still in love with her.

He could offer her another boon, without any obligation, to erase those memories she has with Holst. And her family's memories too, as a freebie since it's going to be weird if she can't remember Holst while everyone else in their house know him.

He could also erase her memories about himself with that and go back on being strangers. Him being the flirty cafe owner and her as his customer.

Byleth took on a defensive stance against Claude's gaze at her, misinterpreting the meaning behind his look.

"No, I'm not doing this to distract myself. You're not a rebound date, I swear." She told Claude before turning to her brother with a grunt. "Seriously, Beles. Stop being so overprotective and sticking your nose into my lovelife. Get your own lovelife for once."

Beles only sighed at that. "You know that I'm only looking out for you. Be thankful it's not Dad who's doing the interview."

"I think you're worse compared to him."

Her brother remained quiet at that as he continued to sip his coffee. After ten minutes of silence between them and emptying his cup of coffee, Beles finally excused himself to go to work.

Byleth stuck her tongue out at her brother, earning her a poke on the forehead and a reminder that she's going to be late for her own work as well so she better eat fast.

With him gone, Claude let out a sigh as he realized he was tense the whole time. He wrapped his arms around Byleth's shoulder and pressed his cheek onto her shoulder.

An action that froze Byleth in her seat.

She knew he's affectionate, judging by how he kept holding her hand (or offering his hand to her and she can't say no), but this is new.

"Is he always this intense?" Claude mumbled. "Mom said he's the affectionate one between the two of you."

Byleth tried to look at him but ended up almost kissing the top of his head.

"You talked to my Mom about that?"

"She said it in passing." Claude looked up at her, perching his chin on her shoulder. "Hey, you haven't told me everything about dating. If your brother didn't come, I wouldn't have known all the other stuff."

"You...don't really have to know all that."

"That's a breach of agreement."

Byleth rolled her eyes at him. "Fine. Those kind of stuff in dating is only for those reserved to couples who plan to marry and be a family. You and I are not that kind of couple so..."

Claude only pouted at her before releasing her from his hug. "Well, you should have told me so in the beginning. I was afraid he'd hit me when I asked him to define what's a 'serious relationship' is."

Byleth affectionately squished his face in one hand. "Yes, yes, I'm sorry. I didn't expect he'd come talk to you. He usually stay out of my lovelife..."

Claude waited for her to finish up her cocoa before taking her tray and empty dishes, along with Beles's empty mug. He walked her to the door, depositing the tray on the counter for Leonie to get and clean.

He considered asking her about Holst, of how she's faring. It may have been a year since the split, but he knows how sentimental and attached humans can get.

He held his tongue in the end, since it's not his business. Smiling as he opened the door for her, he gave her a playful wink.

"Well, we only need to go on one more date. Then the agreement is fulfilled."

Byleth hoped that the smile she gave him is a cheerful one, not laced with the bitter realization that things are actually coming to an end.

They've only known one another for like...two or three months maybe. And yet it feels like they've known each other for a long time.

In truth, she feels right at home with him. Something she haven't experienced with Holst before.

Well, she guess she can still visit the cafe and have a good chat with him from time to time. She also have to find a new cafe to hang out in, to move on. It's not good for her to continue seeing Claude because she knows she's seeing him more than a friend now.

It's better to nip it on the bud and get busy with her life. Not everything is about loving a man after all.

Yeah. Just one more date and she could put all of this behind...

"Tell me when you're free." Byleth told him. "I'll arrange something for the last one. Something...memorable."

Claude blinked, unsure if he should be happy with that statement or not.

He originally planned to erase her memories after this but if she wants something to remember their short time together...

And there's a hint of sadness in her tone.

Uh oh. Is it because Beles had to dig up the past, it affected Byleth's mood?

"Yeah, okay. I'll give you a call." Claude replied as he pulled her into a hug.

He's surprised that she fits perfectly right in his arms like this. Comfortable even.

He felt her tense up for a moment then relaxed into him.

Hmm...guess what Hilda said about hugs are true. Both sides benefit from the relaxing effect it has.

He could stay like this the whole day.

Or for the rest of his life.

How he wish he didn't specify the number of dates they'd go on. That way, it's his call whether he has sated his curiosity or not.

"Umm..Claude?"

"Yeah?"

"You can...let go now. People are staring and we're blocking the entrance to the cafe."

Claude looked up and sure enough, some of the people are grinning at their display of affection early in the morning. He let go of her and saw her face a bit flushed in embarrassment.

"Well, uh...have a nice day." Claude cheerfully told her, slipping in a small good boon to her for the day to cheer her up after their ordeal with Beles.

Byleth smiled then waved goodbye to him before going on her way. When Claude got back in the cafe, he saw Leonie grinning at him from the counter.

"I see why you needed a helper around here." Leonie teased him. "Finally busy with life, huh?"

Claude flushed at that. Why is Leonie teasing him too?

Yeesh. She should be busy with the customers. Or preparing the bruschettas.

"Oh shut it. And help me prepare for the rest of the day. And get those dishes cleaned."

"Yes sir, boss man sir."

"Leonie..." Claude groaned in annoyance, making Leonie chortle as she leaves her post.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I miss physical hugs... :/ hope everyone's doing ok on this worldwide crisis


	6. Chapter 6

Their third date is all about camping. Claude's surprised that Byleth chose to do that instead of going to a planetarium or the aquarium.

They left together early on a Saturday morning, going to the campsite with a beautiful lake stretched out in front of them where other couples or family have also decided to bond over. Jeralt's the one who drove them over, his stern gaze at Claude as they unloaded their stuff saying a lot.

No funny business.

Keep your hands to yourself.

If anything happens, they should call them immediately. It doesn't matter what time of the night it is, Jeralt or Beles will come pick them up.

As they looked for the ideal spot, with Claude doing all the heavy lifting of their things while Byleth carries their food and drink supplies, he noticed that most of the people there are actually Fae with their adoptive children.

There's even a handful of human and Fae couple.

Is...it some kind of hotspot?

Did... Byleth chose this place because she knew about them...?

Just...how keen are her senses?

"It's been a long time since I've come here." Byleth said conversationally as she lead Claude away from the cluster of tents. "The last time I was here, it was during our tenth birthday...then Dad got so busy with work..."

Oh. So this used to be a family spot for them.

They stopped near the lake's bank, away from most of the campers. Claude set up their tent while Byleth tended to their lunch.

After Claude have set up everything and stored their bags inside the tent, he came up to her and looked over at the barbecue she's cooking.

"That looks delicious." He told her, his stomach growling in agreement. Byleth chuckled at that as she turned the meat.

"Dad's specialty. He still won't hand over the recipe for the marinade he uses in these."

"Well, maybe I can decipher it for you." Claude offered, making Byleth look at him skeptically.

"I don't have anything else to offer to you in exchange."

"Hey, not everything I say or offer is a direct Fae transaction." He poked her cheek, annoyed. "Though, if you take it that way, I wouldn't mind you offering your smiles to me. I like it when I know I'm the recipient of those smiles."

Byleth pursed her lips at that, not knowing if he's pulling her leg or...something else more serious. She shooed him away, making him sit on the foldable chair and told him to watch and learn from the couples around them.

There are some things she can't teach him about dating. Sometimes, he need to learn how to take cues or how to interact with a girlfriend. Though she knows that dating without genuine love or affection isn't really much of a date...

Their first two dates, she realized as she looked back on them when she's trying to come up with something for their third date, are just like the same as hanging out with friends. Nothing sweet, nothing too special. No spark.

Or if there is, it's probably just her wishful thinking.

Claude is pretty much still detached, still taking a step back to review everything from what he had read or heard.

It's frustrating but at the same time, it's endearing. He's serious about learning, but still fails on being 'a good boyfriend' as he defensively put it.

Well, she's also to blame. She's still guarded and tried her best not to get invested in this agreement of theirs.

So she decided for their third and last date, she'd be herself and be as affectionate as she can as a girlfriend.

It doesn't matter if it's one sided. If she is to fulfill the agreement, then she will do it properly.

They spent their time after lunch lounging on the folding chairs, gazing at the sky and talking about idle things.

Claude noticed the slight change in her behavior, though he couldn't really put his finger on what's the difference between this date with Byleth from the other times they went out or interacted.

It scares him a little, knowing that by tomorrow, they're going to be nothing more but acquaintances. And once he has the whole Eisner family in his cafe for the celebratory dinner Jeralt kept postponing since he got discharged a few months back because he said it's unnecessary, they will be strangers again.

With only Claude having fond memories of their time together.

Hilda's right.

Getting too involved and attached to them is hard...

During the afternoon, they sealed up their tent and went fishing in the lake, with Claude being impressed with Byleth's fishing skill. After releasing a few fishes back into the lake (because Byleth underestimated her luck today in fishing and ended up with a bucketful) and keeping only one for them to share at dinner, it was Claude's turn to show off his cooking skills by dusk.

Byleth watched him as she lit up a sparkler and made lazy waves with it like a magic wand, letting out small chuckles like a child imagining she's doing magic tricks.

"Is that fun?" Claude asked as he plated up their dinner.

"Kinda." Byleth replied as she looked up at him. "I grew up liking Fae stories, you know. Even loved that one animated movie where the Fae have this little wands as they give boons."

"Uhuh. Like what?"

"Beauty. Grace. The usual kid stuff."

Claude snorted at that as he sat down on the chair next to her, holding their plates. Byleth stuck the sparkler in a safe open container where it continues to give off its light and took her plate from Claude.

"Sorry to, uh, ruin your favorite childhood movie. Those are just party favors and doesn't really have any weight in them." Claude told her as he sat back comfortably. "Whoever wrote that story is either downplaying the Fae's capabilities or does not really know how it works."

He stopped for a moment, considering a third option. "Well, there's also a chance the writer met some naughty Faes, promising them good boons when in fact they barely gave anything..."

Byleth stuck her tongue out at him. "Wow, thanks for letting me know the intricacies."

"You're welcome."

Byleth rolled her eyes at that, making Claude grin at her.

"Now, if you want a real Fae story, how about this one where the Fae unwittingly fell in love with a human even though–"

"Let's just eat, Claude. There's still much I want to do while the night is still young."

They ate in silence, enjoying the cold breeze and the faint laughter from the other campers nearby.

The nightsky is clear of clouds, the uncountable stars twinkling above them like tiny precious gems. Their old names are like familiar old friends for Claude, greeting him once again as he looked up at them, whom he had not seen for quite some time.

He really should leave his cafe for this kind of nights. The view of the nightsky in a city is pretty shitty, and makes his hobby of stargazing really hard.

His only defense as to why he never left his place is because he doesn't really know any good spot within the area of his domain to do so.

Byleth seem to love the stars too, judging by her expression as they sat there after dinner with some cold canned beers in hand.

They chatted about idle things, though mostly it's Claude teaching her more about the stars and their stories.

For someone who had lived so long like him, flitting from one place to another and undergoing a lot of names, he has a lot to share. He never really got to do that since he's not close to anyone until she came along.

It's kind of cathartic, to be able to talk to someone freely like this, someone who knows what he is and not afraid of being around him. He didn't know he held back this much on getting to know anyone on a deep, personal level.

Partway through the night, Byleth stood up to get a blanket from inside the tent and laid it on the ground. Sitting down comfortably, she looked at Claude intently, tapping her thighs lightly.

Claude raised his eyebrows in question, not really knowing what she's trying to convey.

"I'm telling you to rest your head here." Byleth told him patiently, confusing him further.

"Why? I'm not tired yet. And we do have pillows inside..."

"Claude, I'm trying to fulfill my end of the agreement." Byleth sighed. "I can't do that if you won't rest your head here."

Reluctantly, Claude got up from his chair and went over to her and laid his head down on her soft thighs. Looking up at her face and ignoring the big things up close, he froened at her.

"How is this even connected to our agreement?"

Byleth hummed at that as she threaded her fingers through his hair gently.

Something that Claude really likes.

"The incident with Beles back in the cafe made me realize that... I haven't done everything I could to help you satisfy your curiosity so...I'm putting more effort since this is our last..."

Claude didn't miss that tightness in her voice when she said that.

He guess he's not the only one who's sad that things are ending in a few more hours.

Which is a relief for him. But at the same time, a pang of guilt runs through him when he remembers his plan.

He wants her to smile always. It suits her.

And if parting with him will rob her of that smile again, it's really for the better to erase traces of him in her life. He had not interacted with anyone else close to the family so it's going to be easy to do that.

"You know," Byleth continues as she looked up at the stars again, "Mom always tell us this one story whenever we camp here. About a special connection between a Fae and a human."

Claude held his tongue at that.

There's lot of stories with that kind of plot. And most of the time, they're really just stories.

No Fae would willingly give up their everything for a human. Look at Holst Goneril.

He may still love Byleth up to this day, but he can't even tell her to give up her humanity to be one of them. Or give up his Fae life to live as a human.

"Mom said there used to be this frail little Fae living here, the whole campsite being her domain." Byleth continued, taking Claude's silence as his way of saying he's listening. "She's shy and doesn't really interact with many people, let alone with her kind. Then one day, she chanced upon a human man, staring out at the lake.

"She watched him wade in, and she found it weird that he's going in fully clothed. She thought he was looking for something until he's waist deep into the lake. When he submerged himself..."

Byleth trailed off, with a somewhat sour smile on her lips.

"She waited for him to come back up for air. But he didn't. Worried for him, this frail, shy little Fae went out of her way to help him out. It was a hard task since the man is much bigger than her but she managed anyway. She helped him breathe again with her little magic trick and berated him for doing such foolish thing."

Claude blinked at that.

This is...an unusual story of a Fae and a human. Faes don't go out of their way to help others to that extent.

"The man was shocked, since he thought no one was around. She sent him on his way and hoped they will not meet again. The next day though, the man is back and is looking for her.

"He asked around with her description but no one else have seen anyone like that. He searched for her for many days, to no avail. Tired, he stood by the lake again, thinking that maybe he hallucinated everything. Before he could step into the water, a small, slender hand slipped into his to stop him.

"Turning to look who held him back, he finally found her. He knew then, that she's not an ordinary woman. After getting to know one another, he kept visiting her at night, sometimes setting up his tent on this very spot we are on and telling her stories of his previous travels or his day altogether."

Claude is now intrigued by this story. He's been hanging onto her every word, excited to know what comes next. He had never heard such sappy story. Not since his parents, and everyone around them, kept telling how two Faes descended from two different Elder blood, found one another and had a baby.

"After getting to know one another, the Fae finally asked what's been troubling him that night he tried to drown himself in hopes to do her little magic to help him. But the man shook his head, saying it's all in the past, and he has one more pressing problem he wants to have a solution to.

"He's besotted with her, and want to marry her. He knows she will say no because of their differences. But that didn't stop him from looking into her eyes and say–"

Byleth looked down at him, smiling as she placed her hand over his, her thumb brushing against his own gently. With her other hand, she caressed his hair, even making a little rubbing movement on his hairline for no particular reason.

Claude blinked at that, wondering what got into her.

"He said...'I love you, with everything that I am. I thought there was nothing worth living for in this world, until I met you. I realized I wanted to see a new world with you by my side. I wish for us to be together, if you will permit it'. And of course, like with all sudden declarations like that, it was met with rejection."

Claude stared hard at her, feeling that those confession lines were actually directed at him.

A part of him is giddy, flattered and a little bit embarrassed.

The greater part of him is bitter like that rejection in the story. 

They already know they can't be together. They can't get any closer than this.

But he wants to be closer.

He now understands Holst and his problem.

He cleared his throat, thinking she's done with her story.

"Well, that's...kind of a sad story to tell a child." He said as he sat up to look at her. "I didn't expect Mom to like those kind of stories."

"But I'm not yet done." Byleth frowned.

"Are... You serious?"

"Yeah. Anyway, she rejected it at first but the next night, she waited for him to come back to retract her answer. But he didn't came. She waited, night after night. When it's obvious he's not coming back, she decides she's the one going to him. While she's not familiar on navigating any other place than her domain, his stories helped her find her way to him.

"He was surprised to see her standing by his doorstep, eyes fit to burst into tears as she berated him once again for making her worry if he tried to take his own life. She granted his wish to be together, since she's a Fae who received his wish formally."

Claude raised an eyebrow at that. "So she turned him into a Fae?"

"Nah, she casted her Fae life aside and lived with him as a human. They had two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. And that's about it."

Claude pondered on that for a moment, then let his senses wander if there really was a Fae domain in this campsite.

And to his surprise, there is. Or rather, the residues of it. Which is still quite strong.

No one had moved in yet, despite of it being empty.

Weird.

If this story was old, the residues shouldn't be this strong or someone else would have moved in. It's a good spot after all.

"How long ago was this story?" He asked curiously. Byleth only shrugged.

"Mom didn't say." Byleth got up on her feet, trying to get some of the blood back to her sleeping leg. "Well, that's all I have to say. I'm turning in for the night. What about you? Still going to do some more stargazing?"

"Nah, I want to turn in as well. But, I do have one more question."

"Okay?"

"What's with the sudden story telling and all that? How is that even connected to our agreement?"

Byleth gave him a tired, sad smile. "This kind of dating is usually reserved for more serious relationships, where you share more of yourself to someone in a genuine manner. I thought that would be the best for our last one..."

Claude narrowed his eyes at her. "So you're saying you weren't...?"

"I was also genuine back then, but to an extent. Like when testing the waters. Tonight...is how I usually am if I'm serious with someone."

Claude only sat there, at a loss for words, as Byleth entered the tent.

So...she used to be like that with Holst huh?

He can't believe he's admitting to himself that he's kind of envious of Holst experiencing that for a full year.

He now fully understands why Holst refused to erase their memories. They're fond memories to look back on, no matter how much it hurts.

When he followed her to turn in for the night as well, Byleth turned around her sleeping bag to look at him.

"Hey Claude?"

"Mmhm?"

"Do you know any Fae who had turned back on their lives to be with humans...? Or Faes...turning their lovers into one of them?"

Claude thought about that for a moment as he slipped into his own sleeping bag.

"No, not that I can think of. Faes who chose to be humans doesn't really leave any traces of them being a Fae. And I haven't met anyone who turned their lovers into one of us. The ambrosia used to do that is actually hard to find nowadays, so becoming human is their only choice."

He turned to face her, resting his cheek on his arm.

"Though I do know a lot of Fae couple who adopted human babies. It's a common trend, and it gave rise to the adoption percentage in Fodlan."

"I see...so it's really just a story then..." Byleth mumbled.

"Hm? Sorry, didn't catch that?"

Byleth smiled at him. "No, nothing... Good night, Claude."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that. I found a good excuse to use his own S Support lines on him. Indirectly.


	7. Chapter 7

Hilda watched Claude putter about, instructing Leonie to do various things he can't currently attend to since he's busy cooking.

He received a call earlier that morning that Byleth finally managed to convince Jeralt to have dinner that Claude promised to give him.

It has been some time since their last date and the two of them have been amiable with one another, though Claude did notice that Byleth hasn't been visiting the cafe that much.

Probably for the best.

He doesn't want to get attached more than he has to. Unless he want to end up like Holst.

When he received the call though, his heart leapt in joy at the prospect of seeing her again and getting to talk to her at some length that he didn't bother opening his cafe for business and instead, proceeded to prepare a lavish feast for the Eisner family.

And this time, he's intent on making Beles like him.

Leonie had groaned under all the work. She's not used to him putting out this much food for people.

As for Hilda, she dropped by to check on Claude on how he's faring now since he told her that he's no longer seeing Byleth.

The first week, he was fine.

The second and third week, Claude's been going to Hilda's shop frequently during the evening and obviously looking for a distraction from the fact that there seem to be a hole in his being now that the person he used to be around with is not there anymore.

He's obviously cheerful when Byleth comes by the cafe and Hilda had to suffer again from having a lovesick fool around her. And when Byleth doesn't stop by, Claude's brooding and a little short tempered.

She got to admit though, Byleth is quite something to have two Faes enamored with her. If only Hilda didn't know her background, Byleth could pass as one of them.

At least Claude didn't resort on consuming an unholy amount of alcohol, something Hilda is thankful for and the only reason why she tolerates him visiting (more like pester) frequently.

"Hey Hilda. If you're just going to stand there, why don't you help out with the preparations?" Claude asked her as he left the stove for a moment to get some spices.

"Nah. Cooking is not my favorite work." Hilda replied. "I prefer to do the eating."

"Well, if you'll help, then I could let you have a few bites."

"No thank you."

Claude only gave her a look before shrugging and returning to the stove.

"Okay. Your loss."

"By the way, Claude. Are you really going to push through your plan tonight?"

Leonie looked up at that, intrigued, as she deposited the dirty dishes into the sink carefully.

"Oh? You're proposing already?" She asked, a teasing grin starting to form on her lips. "Is that why you're subjecting me to this overtime during my day off? You're going to invite me to your wedding, right?"

Claude's smile looks like he just got a taste of something sour.

Yeesh. Hilda had to burst his little happy bubble by reminding him that the Eisner family won't have memories of him once they step out of his cafe after their dinner.

"Haha, ever so perceptive, aren't you, Hilda? If you don't have anything else to say, you can go now. I can't entertain you at the moment." Claude said as he grabbed a spoon to taste test the sauce. "And Leonie, please focus on the job first."

The two women glanced at one another before shrugging and going on their way, with Hilda telling them that she's going to drop by tomorrow again and Leonie going back to her work.

Evening came and the guests Claude were waiting for finally arrived. He welcomed them into his domain, now masked by his cafe. It's crucial to his plan that they enter it so they could be under his influence and erase all memories pertaining to him once they step out.

Thankfully, Byleth doesn't recognize the domain anymore. Claude made sure to mask it and checked on the security thoroughly.

"You're actually doing well for a man your age." Jeralt noted as they sat around the table. "It's hard to get a nice place like this in the city for a decent price."

"It's partially because I'm lucky in life, I guess." Claude told him. "This place used to be owned by my uncle. He was going to sell it off but I told him I want it for my business. Wait here a moment and I'll get you some drinks and your appetisers."

Claude glanced at Byleth, noticed her looking at him and winked at her discreetly, making her avert her eyes from him.

He hurried back into the kitchen when he noticed Beles moving his face slowly next to his sister to give Claude a stern look.

Time seem to have ceased to exist while they were eating, enjoying the food Claude serves up to them.

Byleth's even beaming when she saw her favorite food and glared at her brother, slapping his spoon away with hers when he tried to get a bite. That earned them a scolding from Sitri, since they're not suppose to play (or bicker) around with food.

Claude didn't dare to take his eyes away from her, trying to commit to his memory this happy family scene.

And when things finally winding down, Claude and Byleth wished within themselves that time would slow down a little more to enjoy their time together. She hasn't told her family that things have come to an end between them a few weeks back.

Sitri seem to really adore Claude, and Jeralt doesn't mind him. Beles is just trying to look like that cool older brother but in fact he wanted to have a meaningful bonding with Claude over cooking.

"Well, it's getting late and we wouldn't want to keep you up for long." Jeralt said, looking over at Claude. "You outdid yourself today. I'm impressed."

Claude smiled at him, giving a polite bow. "I couldn't have done all of this in a timely manner if it wasn't for my assistant. I'll pass along the compliment to her as well."

Everyone stood up, with only Byleth reluctantly doing so. Sitri gave Claude a tight, affectionate hug while Jeralt only gave him a pat on the shoulder.

Beles extended his hand for a handshake, finally giving Claude that soft smile he had tried so hard to hold back.

Anyone who can make his sister happy and smile like an idiot is already in his good books, and that's all because they give him reasons to tease her.

It's fun to annoy Byleth and she can't do anything to him. She doesn't know that former colleague of his got in touch with him and had set him up with a date with a popular singer, Dorothea Arnault.

It's hard to announce anything official when they haven't gone on many dates, for it's kind of hard to go around with a well known person beside you.

Claude walked with them towards the door. He noticed Byleth dragging her feet, not really keen on leaving yet. Three of her family members have already exited his domain, and the magic that will erase their memories of him is going to kick in any moment now.

She stood by the door, trying to compose some heartfelt words for Claude.

The times they went out were really fun.

Even if everything's was just an agreement to save Jeralt's life.

She turned around to face him, putting on a smile even though it's hard.

"So...I guess this is really it." She started, and Claude caught that tightness in her voice as she tried not to cry in front of him. "I'll wait for a couple more weeks before telling my family that we're...over. Thank you again for everything, Claude. I'll see you around as a friend then? Don't forget to look after your health, okay?"

She didn't wait for him to respond as she turned to the door before her tears could fall. She already has one foot out when Claude grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Byleth, wait..."

She turned to look at him curiously and Claude stepped closer to her, cradling her face in his hands.

He gently caressed her cheeks with his thumbs, taking in her facial features.

He won't be able to hold her this close once she steps out.

But it is for the best, he kept repeating to himself. Hilda was right all along...

"Claude...?"

He considered telling her about the magic he had casted but decided against it.

Nothing will change if he tells her. She's just going to be sadder knowing that he erased their fond memories.

He smiled tightly, before pulling her face close and pressed a kiss onto her forehead.

"I've learned a lot. Thank you." He told her, casting a little boon onto her without her knowledge. This one being free of any kind of obligation like what he usually do for customers, but more on an intimate and personal level.

It can be compared to entering a new agreement, by the sheer weight of it.

"I hope you'd still continue to smile brightly after all this. And for things to go smoothly in your life."

Byleth smiled gratefully at him for his sweet words. She gave him a tight hug, which Claude returned gladly with that little voice at the back of his head screaming 'I don't want to let you go'.

A tight lump settled in his throat once Byleth gave him a cheerful wave and stepped out of the cafe. He watched them walk away from the window, whispering his apologies for what he has done.

By tomorrow, they won't have memories of him.

They'll just know him as the owner of the cafe.

When he can no longer see them, he turned to the table where they once sat and slowly cleaned up with a heavy heart.

He was stacking the dishes carefully on top of one another, mind wandering elsewhere, when he sensed someone wanting to come in. Turning his head to the door again, he saw Holst standing there. The older Goneril only gave him a wave in greeting.

Lowering the security in his domain and taking out the magic meant for the Eisners, Claude opened the door for Holst.

"Oh, hey...what brought you here this late?" Claude asked as he let him in and ushered him to a nearby seat, with Claude sitting across him.

"Just checking in on you. Hilda mentioned you were seeing my ex the other day...though I didn't really bother much to listen to her ramble after hearing her name and yours in one sentence."

Claude looked down at his hands at that then gave Holst a small smile.

"Sorry. I didn't know she was your ex lover until it was too late and the agreement has been enacted..."

"Oh, no, no. You don't have to apologise. In fact, I wanted to ask a favor from you."

Claude let out a forced chuckle at that. "A Fae asking another Fae for a favor?"

Holst smiled at that. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I'm asking as a man to another man who now holds their lost treasure."

The older man leaned forward on the table, looking at Claude sincerely.

"Please, take care of Byleth for me. I know it's not really hard to fall in love with her. I courted her out of desperation to get the other Fae women off my back...I didn't expect to actually love her in the end."

Claude stared at him hard.

Holst Goneril did what?

Holst only smiled bitterly at that. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Upstanding Holst Goneril, used a woman to fend off the unwanted attention from other women. Terrible, I know... And it's something I regret fully. I left her in fear of hurting her because of that..."

"If you were Sylvain, I'd think this is a joke but..."

Holst sighed heavily at that. "Please, Claude. Make her happy enough that I'd be nothing more than just a bad memory for her..."

"Sorry, can't do that."

That abrupt answer from Claude grinded Holst to a stop.

He didn't expect Claude to say that at all. He imagined Claude would smile, maybe scold him even for doing such horrible thing.

"What?"

"I can't do what you're asking of me. In truth, our relationship started with a Fae and human agreement. So it's not so different with yours...and in fact, maybe I'm more horrible than you are..."

Holst frowned at that, wondering what he's implying.

"I erased their memories." Claude told him. "Tomorrow, they won't know who I am or who I was in their life. You'd still be the ex lover Byleth will think of. Maybe you can get back together now that you realize you actually love her? I promise I won't get in the way."

"You...what?"

"I thought you said Hilda talked to you about us. Why are you surprised? She knows about this plan after all."

"No... I probably didn't hear her say that... I got preoccupied by the thought that Byleth moved on...though I guess it's normal..."

An uncomfortable silence descended between them, and Holst looked around to change the subject. He got up suddenly, surprising Claude.

"Erm...well...oh, you're cleaning up right? Let me help." Holst said out of the blue and moved towards the table Claude was tending to earlier.

"Huh? No, there's no need to–"

"It's fine." Holst assured him as he started to collect the dishes. Claude hurried over to help him and they used it as their distraction from their topic earlier.

When they were done, the two of them sheepishly grinned at one another for how they're both avoiding their problem: loving and hurting the same woman.

Holst was ready to give up Byleth to Claude, since he had already caused her much pain. But to think that Claude would also give her up because of the knowledge that Holst still loves her is pretty funny now that they had some time to process each other's words.

Claude prepared some quick cocoa for the two of them and sat down at the sear the Eisners used earlier.

"It's hard to be a Fae." Holst commented as they drank. "We use those stories where humans have to give up something in exchange of our favor to mask our soft spot for them..."

"Well, they'd probably abuse it if they knew." Claude replied. "Remember the Elder Fae, Lady Sothis?"

"Yeah...they abused her gift too much. Up to this day, Lady Sothis regrets giving her daughter's hand in marriage to that lout and granting him a taste of the ambrosia. Good riddance though, when someone put an arrow through him. Probably your great grandfather or something. Your family's been doing a lot of favor for her family, I'm surprised Lady Seiros didn't marry your great grandfather after that."

"Eh, it's better to be just friends with their family. It's hard to be too close to the Elders. Too much political stuff. Anyway, no news on her granddaughter?"

"Who knows. It's been how many millenia. Doubt she wanted to be connected to that family after all that had happened...they changed her father's name into Nemesis. That's how petty they are. And since she has his genes, they'd probably not want her around. Probably changed her name in the registry too."

"What kind of parent would not want their own child around?"

"Good question. I'll ask Miklan next time I see him."

Holst finished up his drink and got up, thanking Claude for everything. They shook hands and Claude was about to show him out when he noticed something on the seat.

Picking it up, it's a white handkerchief with tiny lilac and gardenia flower embroidery on it. Amused that Holst is such a softie to use what Hilda made, he handed it over to him.

"Hey, you dropped this."

Holst looked at him, confused, then looked down at the item in Claude's hand.

"That's not mine."

"Huh?"

"I don't use white handkerchiefs. Probably one of your customers left it?"

And with that, Holst said his goodbye to Claude, leaving the younger man standing there and racking his brain on who would have left it.

Though in his heart, he knew already to whom it belongs to.

Those were the flowers they exchanged on their first date after all.

Letting his knees give under him, he sat down on the seat again, letting his tears finally fall freely as he tightly clutched the handkerchief in his hands.

Byleth Eisner did not only caught a Fae and ask for favors.

She had caught his heart and now Claude had let her slip away from his grasp.

What meant to be a casual study of that "love" magic that made those humans happier with one another and not seek out the Fae for stupid stuff, became the very thing that tortures him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohno... You hate me now don't you? I made Claude cry


	8. Chapter 8

Sitri hummed to herself cheerfully the next morning, making breakfast for her family.

Jeralt is out doing his weekend morning jog with Beles, while Byleth still lay in her bed, wrapped up in her blankets.

"Beles, can you wake up Byleth now? It's unusual for her to still be in bed at this time in the morning." Sitri said to her son once they returned from their jog.

Beles pouted at that as he went to get a glass of water first.

He doesn't like waking his sister up. Nine out of ten times, Byleth is grumpy and having someone scowl at you early in the day ruins everything.

But he has no choice. His mother told him to do so.

He went up to Byleth's room, knocked twice before opening it without waiting for her answer.

"Hey Bi, wake up." Beles said as he entered the room. "Time for breakfast. Don't make me–oh, you're awake already."

Byleth sat there on her bed, frowning as she looked at her hands.

"You should have come down already if you were awake." Beles told her as he held her wrist to pull her out of the bed gently. "Come on, up you go."

"Bel..."

"Hm?"

"I feel like...I'm forgetting something important."

Beles helped her out of the bed and smoothed her bedhead.

"Yeah, you're forgetting that it's time for breakfast." he said as he ushered her out. "Come on, I'm hungry. Dad made me run after him. Hard to believe he was in the brink of death some months ago."

When the twins entered the dining room, Sitri warmly smiled at them as she finished setting the table with Jeralt's help. Their breakfast includes a lot of cocktail hotdog, some veggie omelette, fried rice and a good pot of hot coffee. Sitri's breakfast is the only odd one out, being pancakes with sliced bananas on top, drizzled with a lot of maple syrup.

"Now there's my sweet little darlings." She cooed at them.

"Mom, we're not three year olds."

"I know you like being treated as one, Bel. Stop denying it."

Beles only smiled at that as he took his seat. Jeralt looked over at Byleth, wondering why she has a deep frown this early morning.

"What's your problem, kiddo?" Jeralt asked her as he stirred his coffee and Sitri sitting down next to him to eat her breakfast. "Didn't get enough sleep?"

"I'm well rested..."

"So what's with the frown?"

"I...dunno..."

"Don't tell me you're still thinking of Holst." Beles interjected. "I know you loved him but I think it's time for you to really move on."

Byleth shot him a scowl and then proceeded to steal the cocktail hotdog on his plate as revenge for saying such thing.

"Hey, that's mine!"

"Mine now." Byleth told him as she stuffed it inside her mouth. "And I'm not thinking of Holst."

"That's good. There are many others out there who's probably way better than him." Jeralt nodded his head at that. "Don't waste your life on a man who gave you up."

Sitri smiled at her daughter. "Sweetie, I told you that you don't really stop loving someone so it's fine if you think of Holst every now and then. He was once part of your life after all. But don't let it get in the way of your relationship with Claude, okay?"

Silence fell on the table, with all three of them staring at Sitri in confusion.

Beles turned to his sister at that.

"You're dating someone already and you didn't introduce them to me first?"

"Byleth, I know I'm lenient with you but at least tell us first that you have found someone. You don't have to introduce them immediately if you're not comfortable." Jeralt added.

Byleth only raised her hands defensively. "I didn't even know I was seeing someone."

Sitri only stared at them with wide eyes, as they turned their attention to her.

"Mom, who's Claude?" Byleth asked. "Did someone approached you and said they want to date me?"

Sitri's eyes darted from her husband, to her son and then to her daughter, trying to figure out what's going on.

They just had a good dinner in Claude's cafe last night, right? Beles couldn't even contain his enthusiasm for the food served to them. If this is some kind of joke they're pulling on her...

But they all seem to be genuinely confused and at a loss on who's Claude.

What on earth happened? Did she had a fever dream or something?

No, that can't be right.

She definitely have interacted with Claude.

The only other explanation is someone had tampered with their memories.

And it's well executed in all honesty. Only targetting specific memories instead of erasing them in bulk and replacing it with something else requires skill.

"Sitri?" Jeralt prompted her, bringing her back to the present.

"Huh?"

"Did someone come up to you to ask your permission first?"

Sitri struggled to give them a reassuring smile. "Oh, erm... Nothing. Nevermind. Come on, let's eat before the food get cold."

The twins looked at one another at that then shrugged, letting the topic go. Beles then took a good chunk of Byleth's veggie omelette and turned his body away from her to avoid her slap.

"There's lot of food on the table. Stop stealing each other's food." Jeralt scolded them.

"Bi started it."

"And you're childish for retaliating, Bel."

"Says the baby who still need someone to wake them up."

Jeralt shook his head as the twins continued to childishly bicker while they eat breakfast. Sitri only sat there, smiling at them as she ate her pancakes, her mind elsewhere.

After helping one another clean the dishes, the twins are now trying to sabotage each other while playing a virtual kart racing game on their tv in the living room. Jeralt only sat there, a notebook and pen in hand (which the twins assumed is for his work and he's using them to be an excuse not to actually work) watching them bicker when Byleth's winning and Beles just had to blue shell her before the finishing line.

That resulted to the twins screaming at one another as they played another round.

Jeralt's actually impressed they haven't murdered one another yet because of that game. In his record though, which is his notebook in hand that they didn't really have to know the real purpose, Beles has more losses than wins in this silly game. Byleth's a notorious driver in the game, Jeralt's not sure if he wants her to learn how to drive in real life.

He's not looking forward to the arguments she'd pick on other people.

He looked up to see Sitri all dressed up, ready to go outside. He frowned at his wife, wondering where she's going.

"Meeting some friends?" He asked her, making Sitri smile at his direction. "Or grocery shopping? Want me to drive you there?"

"No, it's fine, honey. I'm just going to the Golden Deer cafe downtown...look after our overgrown toddlers, in case they injure themselves."

"Mom, we're in our late twenties." Byleth protested.

"The way you two behave, you put El and Dima to shame." Sitri told her. "I'll be back in a bit. Don't cause too much trouble."

"Mom, if you're going to the cafe, can you buy me a cinnamon bun?" Byleth piped up. "Or if they're out of stock, maybe a take out of their pasta for my snack later?"

"Didn't you just had breakfast?" Sitri frowned. "Why are you asking for food again?"

Byleth only smiled at her to gloss over that fact and Beles looked at their mom thoughtfully.

"Mom, I want the egg drop sandwich."

Sitri gave him a withering look before turning to her husband, who's trying his best not to laugh.

"I presune you have an order too?" She asked him archly. Jeralt only shrugged, looking at her bemusedly.

"Not really, no. But since you offered, I'd like to have their pasta too. I remember they have that ravioli lasagna with spicy sausage..."

After Sitri left, slightly annoyed, the twins returned to their competitive gaming, with Jeralt still bemusedly recording their wins and losses in his little notebook.

Though it dawned on Beles and Jeralt a few minutes later the weirdness of their sudden knowledge of the menu.

They never went there. Not to their knowledge.

But maybe since Byleth often talks about the place...

No. They definitely remember having a taste of the food there.

Maybe Byleth ordered take out for them a long time ago. That would explain it.

Sitri made her way to Claude's cafe, peeping inside the building to check if he's working. She found him carrying a tray of food and drinks to a nearby couple.

Taking a deep breath, she put on her "Stern Mom" face as Beles calls it but in truth it only made her look like a cute, angry kitten.

And to think it was Jeralt who said that to her face when they were still dating when she got upset with him for doing something stupid. It's not her fault if she's baby faced despite of her age!

She entered the cafe, giving Leonie a brief smile when she greeted her, and went straight up to Claude who wasn't aware of her standing close behind him.

When he turned around to leave the couple, he let out a surprised yelp.

"Gah!! Mom! I mean, Ma'am!" Claude said as he took a couple of steps backward. "Erm, can I help you? The counter is over there..."

His voice trailed off when he saw Sitri's expression and his eyes darted around nervously before he finally cleared his throat to regain his composure.

He was about to speak when Sitri cut him off. She noticed the redness and puffiness around his eyes, and how much his smile has loss their glow.

Seriously. Youngsters these days think they're in some kind of drama show to do something as idiotic as he did.

"You and I need to talk, young man."

Claude had a quick flashback on that time Beles said the same thing to him.

Why does he get that feeling he's in deep trouble with Sitri, when she's supposed to have her memories of him erased?

Claude lead her to his office at the back of the cafe, instructing Leonie to take care of things. Once he closed the door though, Sitri started hitting him on the arm with the flat of her hand.

Though she didn't put any weight or pressure on her hits, the fact that she's even hitting him surprised Claude.

What gives??

"Ow, hey! Hey! Ow! Mom! Mom!" Claude protested as he tried his best to avoid the incoming hits but with the door behind him, he doesn't really have anywhere he can go. And even if he could move to the side, he's sure Sitri's going to follow him.

Or maybe throw her bag at him.

He doesn't fancy catching a flying bag at his direction, because that might infuriate Sitri even more.

He's suppose to get hit by it after all.

"Mom! Wait! Why am I getting hit?"

"Oh, now it's 'Mom', huh? What happened to 'Ma'am?' " Sitri huffed as she hit him one last time. "You big, dumb, dramatic idiot. Why did you do that?"

Claude only looked at her, at a loss.

She's not...suppose to have memories of him.

Did his magic fail?

Sitri placed her hands on her hip, looking at Claude with the cutest scowl imaginable.

If Byleth gets angry at him if there's an off chance she recovers her memory, is she going to scowl at him like that?

Is she going to be cute or outright scary...?

"Uhm...you...still have your memory...?" Claude asked tentatively, his hands raised defensively in case Sitri starts hitting him again.

Thinking back on it, the last time he ever got hit physically was when his own mother got upset with him over something trivial (like refusing to take over his father's job back at home).

"You think I'd come here and hit you for fun?"

"But that's... That's..."

"Impossible?" Sitri scoffed at him as she turned to a nearby chair and sat down. "You young Faes are really too much caught up on your own drama, huh? You won't gain anything from it."

Claude blinked at that, trying to process what she had revealed

She knows he's a...?

Did Byleth told her before their dinner? Nah, impossible...

Or maybe she inherited Sitri's keen senses.

He decided to sit down across from her, still trying to get some kind of reason how she would still have her memories.

"Erm...Mom, you...?"

"Yes, we knew you were a Fae the moment you opened your mouth about wishing my husband well." Sitri told him. "And as Elder Fae, I can't forgive you for what you've done."

"We?"

"Jeralt. He knew what I was before and honestly, I think our meeting in the lake back then was fate..."

Seeing the confusion not leaving Claude's face, Sitri relaxed a little with a sigh.

"I guess I have no choice but to tell you who I am then..." She said as she twiddled with a lock of her hair. She looked straight at him, meeting his eyes.

"I'm Sitri, daughter of Seiros and the man now known as Nemesis in our little circle."

Claude froze in his seat, staring at her in disbelief.

Well shit.

If she's really who she say she is...then that would explain why his magic didn't work.

Elder Faes have much more mental strength and will compared to the new generation.

"But if you're an Elder... How come I never sensed it?"

"You're familiar with stories of Fae discarding that life to be with their human lover?"

"Well, yeah. And they lose all traces, as if they died..."

"There's your answer then."

Claude looked down at his hands, still struggling to have the facts down. "But if you have lost all Fae related then how come you're not affected...?"

"Claude, darling, I know you're a smart man. But that's naive of you to think that a youngster like you can affect someone who had lived far longer than any of you did."

Sitri leaned forward on her seat. "Now, I don't have any means to reverse whatever you had done to them and I'm not going to run to my grandmother for help. So, I want an honest answer from you before we go about on looking for a way to fix this little drama you created."

Claude gulped at that, nodding.

He still have to show some respect to her, not only because she's Byleth's mother, but also for being an Elder.

No wonder their family is a magnet for Faes. He's actually impressed that the twins aren't exhibiting any Fae related attributes.

Or maybe their charisma is their strongest Fae attribute?

Who knows.

"Do you truly love my daughter or not?"

"I do." Claude replied immediately. "But you see–"

Sitri held up a hand to silence him. "No, no excuses."

"Mom–"

"No. Those stupid, tragic love stories of Faes and humans have twisted every little Fae of being afraid of commitments to their human lovers. Or to any kind of commitments, really."

Claude clamped his mouth shut at that. He can't really defend himself from that accusation.

He does scrutinise those tragic love stories though, especially the one where two dumb lovers committed suicide because their Fae and mortal families doesn't accept their relationship which they had formed for like in a week.

He used to scoff or question everything about those stories and vowed not to do any of those stupidity.

But in Sitri's point of view, his action is the very epitome of those stupid love stories. And he's kind of ashamed for subconsciously doing the very thing he vowed not to.

Sitri heaved a long sigh.

"Look...those stories." She started, looking at him apologetically. "They were made up by my Uncle. Well, most of them. After what happened to my parents...you'd understand why they changed majority of the Fae stories that involves humans."

"So you're saying...it's okay for humans and Fae to...uh, copulate? There's no ramifications...?"

Sitri pursed her lips at that. "Do my children look like there's something wrong with them?"

"Erm, no."

"Even if my grandmother have imposed such stupid rule of Fae and humans interacting...there's nothing really wrong with it. Faes are just the same as humans, with being magical as the only exemption."

"If what you say is true...then there shouldn't be any reason to cast the Fae life aside, right?"

Sitri hummed at that, amused. "Yeah, but would you rather watch the love of your life die in front of you while you continue to exist and they only live in your memories or grow old with them and be surrounded by the family you created with them?"

Fair enough.

Just living for hundreds of years with only their memory is kind of depressing.

"So, Claude." she said, finally smiling at him fondly like she used to. "If you really care for my little Bibi, then you'll fix this, right?"

"Mom, I'd love to but the enchantment is irreversible. Or the skill to reverse it is beyond me."

Sitri smiled sunnily at that, clapping her hands together.

"Oh, that's good to hear. Don't worry, I have a plan. My sweetlings gave me an idea earlier. And they are still enamored by the food you made last night, they made me their errand girl."

Claude did not expect that he'd be seeing Byleth and the rest of the family again, after he has cried his eyes out the previous night.

He awkwardly stood by their doorway, holding the paperbag with their food in it, too unsure if it's really okay for him to still try and be part of their family.

Jeralt and the twins only looked at him, then at a cheerful Sitri.

Are cafe owners suppose to personally deliver food or carry take outs for their customers?

"Byleth, come help Claude and get the food you ordered. Beles, put your legs down and let him sit there." Sitri told her children, making them raise their eyebrows.

"Claude?" They both asked at the same time.

"Yes. The very same name I mentioned this morning. Now, get moving, sweetlings."

Byleth stood up, taking the paperbag from Claude, their hands brushing for a brief second.

It somehow felt familiar to Byleth, as she stood rooted there in front of Claude.

Claude's visibily uncomfortable with her standing close.

This is not what he had in mind.

He was prepared to spend the rest of his life pining for her, like Holst does.

And yet, after a few hours of what suppose to be their last time to see one another, here he is, standing by their doorway and her brother giving him the usual cold look.

The situation reminded him of his conversation with Holst the previous night.

It looks like the Riegans are really meant to marry into the Elders.

He just have to look at the bright side: Sitri's not politically involved in the Fae community and that means they all can live a peaceful life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The twins playing Mario Kart?
> 
> Claude getting scolded for being a dramatic lil idiot?
> 
> And Jeralt chronicling the twins' scores in Mario Kart?
> 
> Man this was a fun chapter to write


	9. Chapter 9

"You know, it's really weird." Byleth said to Claude as she rested her head on his shoulder, their hands intertwined loosely on his lap.

"Mm? What's weird?"

"Remember that day you came home with Mom? I was actually sad when I woke up that day, but I immediately cheered up when I saw you."

Claude chuckled at that, not really liking that specific memory.

It has been a year since Sitri had dragged him to her home to be true to himself and not be constrained by the Fae rules. While they couldn't reverse the enchantment, at least it gave Claude a chance to start over with Byleth.

This time, with no time limit or agreement to confine their relationship.

He had called Holst up to tell him of the situation after going home that day, and the older Goneril only congratulated him and thanked him for telling about the truth about the Elders. He'll no longer be afraid of committing to a relationship if ever he finds someone again.

Claude have also sent word home, telling them that he's going to cast his Fae life behind for Byleth. And to his surprise, his parents are supportive, though a bit sad that his time is going to be shortened to that of a human's lifespan.

Now, the two of them are enjoying some quiet time outside their hotel room balcony by the beachside, listening to the waves and the few birds chirping here and there.

The sun is hidden behind the clouds, giving them a nice shade and no danger of getting sunburnt by sitting there.

Jeralt have taken the family out for a weekend getaway and Sitri insisted that Claude come along with them. She even had Beles bring along Marianne, whom he met after his short-lived relationship with Dorothea.

Jeralt isn't bothered by paying another room for their guests, but it did bother him that he had to see his children share rooms with their lovers.

He's not ready for grandchildren if one ever makes it way to them after this.

He has no worries with the girls, but he did talk to the boys to some extent just in case.

"Really? That is kind of weird." He replied as he rested his cheek on her head.

"And I feel like... I've known you for a while. But we only got to know one another personally that day."

Claude chuckled at that guiltily.

It has been a year, yes, but his stupid move will forever haunt him.

"They did say soulmates are comfortable with one another even if they had known each other for a short while..."

Byleth pushed herself away from him to look at his face. "Claude?"

"Mm?"

"One question."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Did you ever posed as a model or something for a nature article?"

"No, not really."

Byleth pursed her lips at that as she reached for her phone and looked in the gallery for that one specific photo that has been bothering her.

"Then...how do you explain this?"

"You said you only had one question."

"Just look at it."

She showed him the photo from their second date, with him oblivious to her taking a photo of him while holding the dragontail butterfly.

How did she even took that photo without him realizing it?

"Oh... That's...yeah, probably I forgot about that..." Claude then grinned at her, trying to use this chance to cover everything up from their past. "What? You had a crush on your favorite cafe owner and looked through the net for photos of me?"

Byleth hit him on the shoulder, making him laugh as she tried not to look too flustered.

"In your dreams!"

"You are my dream."

Claude chortled further when Byleth stood up and walked out on him, embarrassed by how he can say such things with a straight face.

He jumped up to follow her and enveloped her in his arms tightly, laughing at how red her ears are.

Byleth tried to get him off her, resulting to them falling onto the bed, laughing.

"You know," Claude said as Byleth turned to face him. "There's something I wanted to tell you for so long."

"What is it?"

He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ears, smiling at her gently.

"I love you, with everything that I am. And I'm not going to let you go."

Byleth blinked at him, then pinched his nose lightly.

"You've been spending so much time with my Mom. I can't believe she told you that little fairy love story."

_Yeah, well, Mom's too fond of me to the point she hit me endlessly and told me I'm an idiot many times_ , Claude thought.

A knock on their door interrupted their talk and Claude had to get up to check on who it is.

Sitri stood there by the hallway, excitement in her eyes. "Oh, good. You two are not sleeping. Get your swimsuits on."

"I thought we're not going to swim today?" Claude frowned. "Didn't Dad say we should rest first after the long ride?"

"Well, the waters are calm and we managed to secure a slot for the reef walking. Jeralt wants that get over with. Now, go tell Bibi, okay?"

Sitri walked away with a spring in her step and went towards Beles and Marianne's shared room.

Thirty minutes later, everyone is in their swimsuits and on the boat that is going to bring them to an ideal reef walking spot.

The men in their group only oggled at their partners:

Claude had choked on his own spit when Byleth walked out of the bathroom to change into her swimsuit. He knows she's well endowed but the two piece bikini made her quite the head turner. He had to stand close to her while they were walking down the beach, trying his best not to glare at every other guy who so much look at her direction.

They're lucky he lost his ability for enchantment, or they'd be having an extra bad vacation day.

Beles lost all ability to talk when Marianne came out with a modest, yet still eye-catching in its own way, one piece swimsuit. His eyes keep sliding back to look at her, even though Marianne asked him not to stare.

Jeralt didn't really express much, but there's softness in his gaze when he looks at his wife. He also raised his eyebrows at some men around Beles's age who seem to have some bad ideas of hitting on Sitri. It's really hard for Jeralt to have a wife who can be easily mistaken as the twin's older sister. 

The amount of trouble and stares he get when he's with his wife is tiring and he just learned to live with it.

The twins, along with Jeralt and Marianne went into the water first, with weird helmet-like thing over their head that they had to hold for it'll supply them with oxygen.

The boat only have four helmets available so Claude and Sitri decided to stay behind to have a little talk (with Claude hinting at Jeralt it has something to do with a certain proposal) Byleth and Jeralt weren't happy with that, but since Beles and Marianne had gone on ahead with the assistance of experienced divers, they acquiesced, promising they'd go in again with them after twenty minutes.

"Hey Mom?" Claude said, finally finding the chance to ask her something that's been bugging him for a year.

"Yes dear?"

"Why did you decide to come to my cafe the day after and hit me? It didn't occur to you that maybe... We're over and I did her a favor of erasing our memories?"

Sitri pursed her lips at that. "Well... No, not really. Not until you brought it up...but things worked out in the end, right?"

"Were you also caught by Dad and he requested dates or something?"

"No. I saved him one time from killing himself. I really liked that spot by the trees that oversees the lake and I won't enjoy it anymore if I saw a man committing suicide right in front of my eyes..."

Claude stared at her, something with that story sounding familiar.

"Did Dad...told you many stories and he started falling for you on the process when you two meet up there and he asked you to marry him...?"

Sitri looked at him, horrified. "How did you...?"

"Byleth shared the fairy love story with me. She said you used to tell them that sto–Ack! Mom!"

Claude clung to the side of the boat, afraid for his life, when Sitri tried to push him over because of too much embarrassment. The boat rocked gently sideways and the boatman who stayed behind only glared at them for doing reckless actions that could tip them over.

No one's suppose to know that story apart from their kids. She only told them that to tease Jeralt, because their first meeting is really kind of funny when they look back at it.

"Maybe I should have just went to ask Holst to get back with my daughter instead of you."

"Aw come on, Mom. You adore me."

"When you're not being this annoying, yes."

"Well, you're going to be stuck with me as son-in-law."

"I really wished I picked Holst now."

"Aw, that hurts my feelings, Mom." Claude grinned at her as he moved closer to her to give a hug but Sitri moved away from him. "Our families are close after all...it's only natural we finally tie it officially."

The boatman cleared his throat loudly to remind them that one wrong move could tip the two of them over into the water and no one's going to save them.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, kiddo, time to sleep." Claude said to their four year old son in his play room. "Time to brush your teeth and wash your face."

"I'm not sleepy."

"Oh, yes you are, little man."

"No!" Their son yelled and tried to run away from Claude as far as possible.

Claude only sighed at that. He now regret giving his own parents a hard time when he was growing up.

He did use to run off from baths, or wear his pajamas. One time, he straight up just walked around pants-less. And made lot of mess inside their house.

Well, he was a kid and kids are allowed to make a lot of dumb stuff.

Claude went after his son and scooped him up securely in his arms, earning a little slap to the face when the little boy tried to get away.

Byleth opened the door to the room, frowning at their direction. She had finished freshening up for bedtime, her hair tied up in a top bun, wearing pajamas with cute cartoony drawings of stars and owls.

"Claude, you said you're going to take care of him while I get changed." Byleth frowned as their boy wiggled out of Claude's arms and ran up to her.

"Yeah...well..thought of tiring him out so it'll be easier but I'm the one who's tired..."

Byleth shook her head bemusedly at that, turning her attention to their son.

"Time for bedtime, darling."

"I want to play more."

"No."

"I'm not sleepy."

"You can play tomorrow. It's night time and you have to sleep so you can grow tall and strong like Papa."

Claude went closer to them, ruffling his son's hair. "Hey, bed time means storytime right? I have a nice story for you tonight."

The little boy considered that for a moment before rushing off to do the very things he just shouted "No!" to. Claude only shrugged at Byleth's direction when she gave him a questioning look.

"Another fairy story?" she asked as they followed their son to his bedroom.

"Yeah, well. They're nice little stories, don't you think?"

"Can't argue with that, but I'm surprised you know a lot of them. You didn't come off as someone invested in silly little stories."

Claude tried his best to keep a straight face as they entered the bedroom. "Yeah, well...I did some dumb things before because of said stories, but at least I made it right again. Somewhat."

Byleth raised her eyebrows at him, not knowing if he's making a joke or stating a fact. Their little boy then darted out of the bathroom, his pajama shirt buttoned incorrectly, and got into bed with an expectant look at his father.

Claude only grinned at his wife before sitting down next to his son to fix his shirt.

"Is this going to be the archer prince's story?"

"Nope. Something even better. It's about how the two different world of Fae and humans come together in harmony."

"No adventure?"

"There will, kiddo. Now, you ready to listen?"

Their little boy nodded, wiggling his way down on his bed until he's nicely tucked in. Byleth sat at the other side of the bed, brushing her son's hair out of his forehead.

Claude smiled at the two most important treasures in his life, then opened his mouth to start the story.

_Once, there was a young little fae boy who grew up in a rather open community despite being a prince._

_He's not particularly well liked or well hated in all honesty, but he's most sought after because he's the first fae they have to have been born biologically. See, Faes have a hard time reproducing so they take human babies from their cradles to raise as their own._

(Byleth raised her eyebrows at that, not sure if that's something Claude should say in a children's story.)

_He moved away once he's old enough and travelled around the world for many years._

_Then he settled down in a place and was just minding his own business when a beautiful young woman came to him asking for help._

_See, her Dad has been struck ill by a curse of unknown origin and her Mother's magical prowess have been taken from her. Her older brother have gone to look for companions and find the being who had casted it, leaving the young woman distraught for she can't do anything._

(Byleth rolled his eyes at him for making a damsel in distress type of heroine. Claude didn't miss that action and pouted at her.)

_And so the young woman read through every notes her mother have on magical beings, found out that faes grant wishes in exchange something of equal value. She set out to look for one and stumbled upon our humble little prince._

_Who is conveniently living near their house. Like, five doors down the street. Imagine that._

("Claude, that's a lousy set up." Byleth said finally. He frowned at her, saying , "It's a children's story, Bi. I have to make it simple. I'll tell you a different story later. An adult one." "Claude!" "Not that other kind of adult, I swear!") 

_She beseech him to listen to her wish. At first, he scoffed at her because what can a woman like her offer to him, a being who have lived for hundreds of years?_

_'I have a few gold with me,' she said._

_'I have plenty of those.' The fae prince told her._

_'My first born child?' she continued._

(Their son slinked closer to his mother when Claude said that, since his Dad just made his caress on his son's hair a bit creepy, as if he's the one being offered.)

_'I've no need for a child.' The fae replied. 'If you have nothing of value to me, then leave.'_

_He ushered her out of his house, only for her to cling to his wrist and offered the only thing she has left._

_'I offer you my heart.' She said to him sincerely._

_'Your...heart? I've no need for that.'_

_'Be that as it may, it's the only thing I have left to offer you.'_

_The fae saw determination and sincerity in her eyes so he accepted, only out of pity. They set out to for her brother to help him out._

_On their travel, the Fae fought against monsters after monsters that roams the land, keeping her safe beside him as she divined the path towards her brother._

_When they have finally found her brother, he is bound to the King of Darkness, the very being who had caused their father's curse._

_Turns out their mother is the King's daughter that he didn't know about after spending three nights with a woman years before. And since her family's in the way of getting her back, he planned a way to get rid of them._

("A horrible in-law, that's for sure." Byleth mumbled.)

_The fae fought the King to free her brother and father from his grasp. Their battle was great and the fae is being beaten down._

("Oh no!" their little boy gasped.)

_The fae, weakened and almost defeated, was ready to accept the outcome. But the young woman with him gave up her ability of divining things, passing her magical energy to him to amplify his powers for a short while._

_With her help, the fae managed to defeat the Evil King and freed her brother and father from their curse._

_Glad that they were victorious, the fae turned to the young woman to collect his end of the bargain._

_The young woman hugged her brother one last time before turning to the fae._

_'As promised...my heart is yours.'_

_The fae considered it for a moment then smiled at her._

_'I will accept it,' he said. 'If you will consent to having my heart as well.'_

("I don't get it." their little boy pouted. Claude only chuckled and ran his finger down his son's nose affectionately. "They're in love, kiddo. Like Mama and Papa." "Oh...")

_Overjoyed by this, the three of them went home to deliver the good news and lived happily ever after._

A long silence followed Claude's last words, as he waited for them to react.

"I think I still like the archer prince more." Their little kid finally said with a yawn.

"Yeah? Okay. Next time, I'd tell you more about him." Claude replied as he and Byleth leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "Now, go to sleep."

"Goodnight, Mama. Goodnight, Papa."

Leaving their son's room quietly after that and returning to their own room, Byleth sat down on their bed and looked at Claude curiously.

"That's the first time I've heard of that story."

"Well, yeah. Because I made it up." Claude grinned at her as he changed into his pajamas that matches hers. "Based on something I experienced some time ago. With a few embellishments."

Byleth cocked an eyebrow at that. "What? Someone offered you their heart?"

Claude hummed at that as he slipped into the bed next to her. Looking at her bemusedly, he pinched her cheeks.

"If I say someone did a year or so ago, you're going to be jealous?"

"As if." Byleth huffed at him. "No one would be that dramatic for a confession."

Claude laughed at that as he gathered her in his arms. "Yeah, just kidding. No one did. But someone did offer their first born. I actually was tempted to accept. She was really pretty."

"Whatever, Claude."

He continued to laugh at that, remembering that night she said that ridiculous line to his face.

Turns out, he did get her first born.

"Okay then. As promised, I'll tell you a slight variation of that story I told our little one."

"You're awfully talkative tonight, Claude."

"Well, if I don't have the chance to make another baby with you, I'll keep talking."

Byleth turned to look at him, squished his face hard betwen her hands.

"You know we're busy expanding our business. I can't be pregnant during this stressful time."

"Well, it's a good excuse to get you out of the stress."

Byleth squished his face again. "Fine, I'll listen to your story."

Claude pretended to look hurt at that. "You prefer to listen to me instead of make out with me?"

"Well, you offered so you best deliver."

"Fine...anyway, you already know the two protagonists, but this time in a modern setting. The fae is running a cafe and the young woman's a businesswoman. She found him, offered stuff and all that unnecessary stuff. He declined and instead, he asked her out on a date–"

Byleth frowned at him. "This is how you're going to tell the story?"

"It's the adult version. Adults don't have the time for the mundane stuff."

She pouted at him, slipping her arm around his torso to loosely hug him.

"Why would he ask her on a date? Didn't they just met?"

"That's how stories go. They don't make sense. And probably because he found her really pretty." Claude said defensively. "You want me to finish this story or not?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Daddy."

Claude took a sharp, intake breath at that. "Bi, please refrain from saying that..."

Byleth snickered at him, and decided to behave for the rest of the story.

"So, anyway. They went on three dates. Blah, blah, blah. The two of them realize that they're in love but they have a relationship agreement and they both want to honor it. They parted ways for like, a few hours.

"The fae realized he can't live without her so, being the naughty fae that he is, he exploited the loophole in their agreement, stating that she didn't particularly honored their relationship agreement and demanded her to follow through it to the end. And so they got married and have a beautiful son."

Byleth raised her eyebrow at him. "You know... I think you're doing this to me out of spite."

Claude cuddled with her, chuckling. "Oh my honeybee. I'd never do that."

"No, I'm positive you're doing this to annoy me."

Claude cackled like a villain as he latched onto her, not giving her an inch of freedom for movement, and Byleth trying her best to get away from him.

Well, there IS a loophole in their original agreement. Byleth didn't fully let him understand the deep meaning of human's "love", so they really have to stay with one another until he fully grasp it.

Especially when she doesn't remember the exact content of their agreement, so Claude is free to treat all of their dates as their first date.

He may have become human now but no one can easily take away his habit of exploiting loopholes for hundreds of years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End. :)  
> Thanks for reading.🥺


End file.
